Carrier rack assembly for use on transportation vehicles



Nov. 24, 1964 D. J. BLUNDEN 3,158,107

CARRIER RACK ASSEMBLY FOR USE ON TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES Filed April 3,1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ran INV EN TOR.

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CARRIER RACK ASSEMBLY FOR USE ON TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES INV EN TOR.

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A TTURNEY United States Patent M 3 158,16? (IARREER ASSER Eifi HESS (ENTRANSiOiETATlUN VEHELE Donald Zr. Biunden, Detroit, Mich assignor toWhitehead & Roles Qompany, River Rouge, Mich, a corporation of MichiganFiied Apr. 3, Edi,

3 Ciairr This invention relates to carrier racks in general and moreparticularly to carrier rack assemblies for use by the railroads andother transportation vehicles to haul automotive vehicles and otherfreight.

Most freight companies now offer piggy-back and storage containertransportation facilities wherein a preloaded vehicle trailer or storagecontainer is carried on another and larger transportation vehicle; asfor example a flat deck highway vehicle, railway car, ocean travelingship and the like. The larger transportation vehicle normally includes areceptive deck area upon which the detachable trailer units orcontainers may be tied down and which is otherwise unobstructed forreturn loads of like or different kinds.

As will be appreciated, the closest possible arrangement of the freightloaded carriers on the larger transportation vehicle is important toenable carrying the most productive load. At the same time, safeguardsmust be maintained against relative movements between the car rier meanswhich might otherwise cause damage thereto or to the cargo carried; asin having them rub or bump against each other.

The problems of this mode of transportation are perhaps best appreciatedin considering the transportation of automotive vehicles by carrierracks mounted on railway flat cars.

With the more prevalent use of diesel power and the elimination of theolder soot and hot ash producing power plants, an open carrier rack ismost practical for carrying automotive vehicles by railroad carriers.Such open carrier-racks must be relatively simple in construction toavoid undue weight as well as material and labor costs and must also besturdy and dependable to carry the valuable load entrusted thereto. Thecarrier racks are preferably removable from the railroad ilat cars toenable the fiat cars to be returned to general service when ever theyare needed. This in turn requires dependable means of securing the racksto the fiat cars and the auto mobiles or other vehicles to the racks.

As will be appreciated, there is a decided advantage in using thelongest available fiat cars for hauling automotive carrier racks sincethe additional length will normally enable more automotive vehicles tobe carried thereon. -Iowever, the use of correspondingly longer carrierracks presents obvious disadvantages as regards having such racksreadily removable from the rail cars. Furthermore, the longer rail carshave their rail trucks disposed further apart and there is a definitefiexure of the flat at the midsection thereof while in transit. This isno problem with the flat bed loading normally proposed for flat carcarriers but is a problem with full height railroad cars or racks due tothe additional reinforcement and added weight needed to accomplish suchstrengthening. This is one of the reasons why railroad carriers have notmade other than flat cars to the maximum lengths which are permissible.

It will also be appreciated that a full length enclosed or open carrieron a full length rail car, with a full load, presents a formidable deadweight which must in some manner be safeguarded against shocks due tosudden stops and the bumping of rail cars for disconnecting andconnecting different ones thereof together. A sizable BASJM.

Patented Nov. 24, 1%64 shock absorber system would be required to bebuilt into either the removable unit carrier or the fiat car itself.

It is an object of this invention to provide a freight receptive carrierrack including means of cooperative attachment to other racks and closerassociations.

It is an object of this invention to provide a freight receptive carrierrack or container having means of cooperative attachment to othercarrier racks or containers and allowing closer nesting together thereofwithout concern for damage thereto or the cargo carried thereby.

It is an object of this invention to teach the use of separateinterconnected carrier racks or containers rather than one large rack orcontainer and to have such connection enable permissive relativemovement therebetween which is non-injurious to the carrier means ortheir cargo and still affords intercooperation therebetween.

It is also an object of this invention to provide carrier racks andcontainers which are individually shorter in length, and thereforeeasier to handle, but are collectively longer in length for greateroverall freight carrying capacity. Furthermore, the smaller cargocarrying means may be more readily accommodated by conventional shockabsorber means, tie-downs, and the like without necessitating specialinnovations for the overall size, weight, etc., of the freight loadinvolved.

Another object of this invention is to provide a carrier rack or storagecontainer assembly of maximum permissive dimensions for use on the deckareas of larger transportation vehicles which are subject to flexurewhile in transit. In this regard, this invention provides for aconnection between the individual freight carrying means which enablessuch flexing of the deck area and avoids the necessity of heavystructural reinforcement of the deck areas or between the cargo carriersthemselves.

Still another object of this invention is to teach the use of dualcarrier racks which are interconnected and capable of supporting a loadtherebetween.

A further object of this invention is to provide readily demountable andseparable carrier means having individual means of resisting shock loadsand interconnected together in a manner affording cooperationtherebetween.

These and other objects and advantages to be gained in the practice ofthis invention will be more fully understood and appreciated upon areading of thefollo-wing specification and with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the railway carrier having thedifferent features of this invention incorporated therein.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged and fragmentary side elevational view of one ofthe connections provided between the two carrier racks illustrated inFIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 ofFIGURE 2.

FEGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of one of the connectionsbetween the carrier racks, and showing the connecting members thereof indifferent relative and exaggerated positions.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged side elevational View of one of the shockabsorber mountings provided on the railway carrier with parts of theshock absorber broken away and in section.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

The railway carrier It shown by FIGURE 1, includes a railway fiat car 12having a pair of carrier racks 14 and 16 disposed thereon.

The railway fiat car includes a center sill underbody structure 18supporting a horizontal deck section 249 and having railway trucks 22and 24 provided near opposite ends thereof. The fiat car 12 ispreferably of maximum length and has the railway trucks 2-2 and 24disposed suihciently near the ends of the horizontal deck section Bitand as far apart as possible to preclude nomregulation overhang ofeither the ends or the middle section thereof dur- .ing transit of therail car around acu-rve. It will be appreciated that despite the centersill underbody structure 18 the spacing of the trucks 2?. and 2 willresult in a fiexu-re of the iiat car 12 at the mid section thereof whilein transit.

The carrier racks 14 and 16 are substantially similar and in describingthe racks similar reference numerals will be used to identify relativelysimilar par-ts thereof.

The carrier racks each include an open structural framework 26 havinglongitudinally spaced deck sect-ions 2S and $9 receptive of automotivevehicles (not shown) thereon. The side frames of the racks are spacedlaterally apart and are mounted upon the vehicle supporting decksections 23 and Accordingly, a through passage is provided for theloading and unloading of vehicles within and between the two carrierracks. In use, the racks each support two vehicles on their respectivedeck sections and an additional two vehicles straddled between each oftheir respectively aligned deck-s.

The structure of the carrier racks will be later described in furtherdetail. However, for the present, it will suffice to mention that theracks 14 and 15 each include parallel laterally spaced side rail basesills 32 extending the full length of the outer lower edges thereof.

Referring to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the carrier racks 14 and 16are retained on the horizontal deck section 20 or" the fiat car 12 bymeans of clamps 34 secured to the flat car and disposed for engagementwith side rails 48 of the base sills .32 of the carrier racks. Uponremoval of the clamps 3d the carrier racks 14 and 16 may be removed fromthe flat car 12. The carrier racks are not otherwise permanently securedto the flat car.

Aside from the clamps 34 which retain the carrier racks on the flat carand, accordingly, restrain vertical movement of the racks relative tothe flat car, shock absorber means 36 are provided to restrainlongitudinal movement of the racks. Each shock absorber unit 33 issecured to a side rail 48 of a base sill 32 of a rack and is disposedbetween longitudinally spaced stops ti and 42 respectively rigidlymounted upon a side rail as of the fiat car 12. This structure will alsobe later described in further detail.

In addition to the clamps 34 and the shock absorber means 36 forrestraining relative movement of the carrier racks on the fiat car, twopivotal connections 44 are pro vided between the closely spaced adjacentends of the racks at the mid-section of the fiat car. These connections,as will be shown, connect the two carrier racks together for coordinatedlongitudinal movement thereof and are permissive of the flexure of theflat car at the mid-section thereof. The carrier racks 1d and 16 are nototherwise connected together than through the pivotal connections 44.

The pivotal connections 44 between the two carrier racks 14 and 16 arealike, and one such connection is best shown by FIGURES 2 and 3. Itincludes a vertically disposed plate member 46 secured to the uppersurface of a side rail member 48 of the base sill 32 of one of theracks, and to the vertical end post d of the side frame of such rack. Abifurcated member 52 is secured to the upper surface of a side railmember 48 of the next adjacent rack and to its vertical end post 50. Theextended arms 54 and 56 of the bifurcated member 52 are receptive of theplate member 46 therebetween and a pivot pin 53 connects the respectivemembers together. The pivot pin head 60 and cotter pin 62 retain the pin55 in position.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 4, it will be noted that the pivotalconnection plate 46 includes an elongated slot 64 through which thepivot pin 58 extends. The slot is l elongated in a vertical directionand, accordingly, does not allow for my relative horizontal movementbetween the two carrier racks 14 and 16. However, it does allow forlimited relative vertical movement of the two racks such as might occurduring the loading of the respective racks or as a consequence of unevenloading thereof. Further, it enables greater freedom of verticalrelative movement between the two racks such as may occur during theflexure of the flat car at its mid-section. It will be appreciated thatFIGURE 4 illustrates an exaggerated condition of the relativedisposition of the pivotal connection forming parts and side railmembers and is principally for discussion purposes.

Referring now to FTGURE 5, the railway fiat car 12 has at each side edgeof the deck section 20 thereof a structural Side rail 66 secured to andextending the full length thereof and standing above the deck section2.0 to provide a drop center deck area. The carrier racks are receivedon the drop center deck area and have their base sills 32 disposedclosely adjacent to the structural side rails 66.

Suitable structural crossbars 73 are provided beneath the cargosupporting deck 28 and are secured to inwardly inclined portions 68 ofvertical posts 72 .of the side frames of the carrier rack.Longitudinally extending cargo tie down channels 74 are mounted on topofthe spaced crossbars 79 between laterally spaced portions of the deck 28and afiord further structural strengthening of the carrier racks.

An L-shaped support bracket 7-5 is welded to the structural side rail asof the flat car 12 at appropriate locations and has the carrier rackengaging clamps 34 bolted thereto. The inverted L-shaped clamps includevertically and horizontally disposed parts 73 and 50, respectively,welded together and having a strengthening gusset '82 therebetween. Thehorizontal clamp part 80 extends over the side rail d8 of the base sill32. In this manner the clamps I54 retain the carrier racks 14+ and 16.on the rail cars 12 and restrain undue vertical movement thereof. Theracks may be removed from the hat .car by simply unbolting the clamps 34from the L-shaped support'brackets '76 welded to the side rails 65 ofthe flat car.

Upon closer examination of FIGURE 5 it will be noted that the carrierracks 14 and 16 are supported .on the fiat cardeck section 20 uponantifriction means 84. Such means include a wear-resistantself-lubricating antifrict-ion pad 86 and is disposed under thecrossbars 70 and below the inwardly inclined portions 63 of the verticalposts 72 of the Side frames of the carrier-racks. Accordingly, the racksare relatively free-floating on the flat car deck 20, in a longitudinaldirection; being restrained laterally and vertically -by-the upwardlyprojecting portions .67 of the fiat car side rails 66 and retainingclamps34.

The shock absorber means 36, previously mentioned, restrain longitudinalmovement of the carrier racks. Such means are best shown by FIGURES 6and 7.

The shock absorber housings 88 are secured by suitable supports 90 tothe base sill .side rails 48 intermediate the ends of each carrier rackand are located on each side of each carrier rack between a pair of theinwardly inclined portions 68 of the vertical posts 72 of the sideframes. Preferably, the housing 88 of each shock absorber unit 38contains a series of high-resilience rubber rings separated by steelplates ltll with the rubbers rings having a durorneter to meet thecalculated gross weight of the carrier rack with which used. Horizontalarms Q4 extend freely through opposite ends of the housing '88 of eachshock absorber unit 38 and are secured to the steel plates 1&1 withinsaid housing .83 at opposite ends thereof. End blocks 92 are secured tothe outer ends of the horizontal arms 94 at oppositeends of each shockabsorber unit and are disposed for contact engagement with the stops 49and 42 provided on the flat .car side rails 6.6 to restrain the racks 14and 16 against longitudinal movement relative to the deck 29.

The side rails 66 are reinforced by plate members 96 which extendbetween and are secured to lateral flanges 98 and 99 respectively at theupper and lower edges of said side rails 66.

Referring again to FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the clamps 34-, shockabsorber means 36 and pivotal connections 44 are substantiallylongitudinally aligned and are engaged with the respective side railbase sills 32, which are in floating engagement with the horizontal decksection 20 of the fiat car 12. This relative longitudinal alignment andengagement with the side rail base sills 32 enables coordinatedfunctioning of the respective restraining members through a commonprincipal structural member. Further, the connection of the carrierracks l4 and 16 though the pivotal connection 44 enables the shockabsorber means 36 provided on one rack unit to assist in absorbing anyshock moving the other carrier rack unit. At the same time, the pivotalconnection enables relative limited freedom of movement of the racksthereover re sulting from flexure of the rail car at its mid-section. Aswill be appreciated, this flexure of the fiat car 12 has a minimaleffect upon the pivotally connected carrier racks 14 and 16 near thehorizontal deck 25 thereof. However, this situation, however slight, isincreasingly exaggerated between the carrier racks towards the upperends thereof.

Extensive study, research and testing have proven the value of thepivotal connection 44 between a pair of carrier racks provided on arailway flat car and intended to carry automotive vehicles thereon andbetween. The pivotal connection between the adjacently disposed ends ofthe pair of carrier racks, at each side thereof, rather than a hingeconnection across the racks or to the flat car itself has been foundparticularly advantageous in affording the right combination of relativefreedom as regards the individual racks and coordinated control ofundesirable relative movement therebetween. The use of the pivotalconnection 44 in combination with the other rack engaging and movementrestraining components, in the arrangement disclosed, has been found toproduce even further advantages, as has been mentioned.

This does not preclude any advantage to the use of the pivotalconnection between the carrier racks at other locations. Although notshown, and therefore not discussed in detail, it will be appreciatedthat the carrier racks could be provided with means of pivotalconnection to adjacently disposed carrier racks where mounted on deckareas of sufiicient width. Furthermore, the pivotal connection might beprovided at an intermediate or upper location between adjacent racks toobtain part of the advantages of this invention without full benefitthereof.

Although a specific and preferred embodiment of this invention has beenshown and described, it will be appreciated that certain modificationsand improvements are within the scope of the teachings set forth herein.Accordingly, such variations and modifications are to be considered asincluded within the hereinafter appended claims unless specificallyexcluded by the language thereof.

I claim:

1. In combination, a railway fiat car having an elongated horizontaldeck, side rails extending horizontally at and secured to, opposite sideedges of said deck and having portions projecting upwardly above theupper surface of said deck, a pair of longitudinally extendinglongitudinally movable elongated freight carrying racks disposedsubstantially in end-to-end relation and freely mounted upon said deckbetween said side rails, a pivotal connection between the adjacent endsof said racks, said racks being held against lateral displacementrelative to said deck by the upwardly projecting portions of said siderails, said racks having substantially horizontal longitudinallyextending rail members at opposite sides thereof, longitudinally spacedbrackets upon the outer sides of and secured to said side rails, meanssecured to said brackets and extending over the rail members of saidracks for holding said racks against vertical displacement relative tosaid deck, and means respectively carried by said rail members and bythe upwardly projecting portions of said side rails for restraining saidracks against longitudinal movement relative to said deck, includingshock absorber units having longitudinally extending elongated housingscontaining shock absorbing means including alternately arranged rigidand resilient elements, said housings being located above the upwardlyprojecting portions of the side rails of said flat car and secured tothe rail members of said racks, horizontal arms extending throughopposite ends of the housing of each shock absorber unit and engagingcertain of the rigid elements of said shock absorbing means, saidhorizontal arms being provided at their outer ends with blocks, andstops rigidly mounted upon the upwardly projecting portions of the siderails of said flat car in longitudinally spaced relation to oppositeends of said housings and in the path of and constituting abutments forsaid blocks.

2. In combination, a railway fiat car having an elongated horizontaldeck, side rails extending horizontally at and secured to opposite sideedges of said deck and having portions projecting upwardly above theupper surface of said deck, a pair of longitudinally extendinglongitudinally movable elongated freight carrying racks disposedsubstantially in end-to-end relation and freely mounted upon said deckbetween said side rails, a pivotal connection between the adjacent endsof said racks, said racks being held against lateral displacementrelative to said deck by the upwardly projecting portions of said siderails, said racks having substantially horizontal longitudinallyextending rail members at opposite sides thereof, longitudinally spacedbrackets upon the outer sides of and secured to said side rails, meanssecured to said brackets and extending over the rail members of saidracks for holding said racks against vertical displacement relative tosaid deck, and means respectively carried by said rail members and bythe upwardly projecting portions of said side rails for restraining saidracks against longitudinal movement relative to said deck, the pivotalconnection between the adjacent ends of said racks including verticallydisposed parallel plates secured to one of said pair of racks andprovided with a horizontally extending pivot pin, and a verticallydisposed plate secured to the other of said pair of racks, projectingbetween said parallel plates, and having a vertically extendingelongated slot therein receiving said pivot pin, whereby relativevertical movement between said pair of racks is permitted.

3. In combination, a railway fiat car having an elongated horizontaldeck, side rails extending horizontally at and secured to opposite sideedges of said deck and having portions projecting upwardly above theupper surface of said deck, a pair of longitudinally extendinglongitudinally movable elongated freight carrying racks disposedsubstantially in end-to-end relation and freely mounted upon said deckbetween said side rails, a pivotal connection between the adjacent endsof said racks, said racks being held against lateral displacementrelative to said deck by the upwardly projecting portions of said siderails, said racks having substantially horizontal longitudinallyextending rail members at opposite sides thereof, longitudinally spacedbrackets upon the outer sides of and secured to said side rails,inverted substantially L-shaped clamps having the upright portionsthereof detachably secured to said brackets and having the horizontalportions thereof extending over the rail members of said racks forholding said racks against vertical displacement relative to said deck,and means respectively carried by said rail members and by the upwardlyprojecting portions of said side rails for restraining said racksagainst longitudinal movement relative to said deck, including shockabsorber units having longitudinally extending elongated housingscontaining shock absorbing means including alternately arranged rigidand resilient elements, said housings being located above the upwardlyprojecting portions of the side rails of .said flat car and secured tothe rail members of said racks, horizontal arms .extendingxthroughopposite ends of the housing of each shock absorber unit and engagingcertain of the rigid elements of said shock absorbing means, saidhorizontal arms being provided at their outer ends with blocks, andstops rigidly mounted upon the upwardly projecting portions .of the siderails of said flat car in longitudinally spaced relation .to oppositeends of said housings and in the path of and constituting abutments forsaid blocks.

References {Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,675,562 Kellett July 3, .1928 1,693,193 Duryea Nov. 27, 1928 1,750,128Romine Mar. 11, 193.0 1,750,129 Romine Mar. 11, 1930 8 1,761,969Chalmers June 3, 1,843,988 Randall Feb. 9, 1,862,632 Pezin June 14,2,047,954 Fitch July 21, 5 2,072,988 Kellett Mar. 9, 2,137,255 TuttleNov. 22, 2,166,948 Fitch July 25, 2,191,222 Sheehan Feb. 20, 2,519,721Taylor Aug. 22, 10 2,708,887 Van Alstine May 24, 2,856,864 Harbulak Oct.21, 2,942,912 Lucas et al June 28, 3,011,219 Williams Dec. 5,

OTHER REFERENCES ACF Markets Cushioned Auto Racks, page 28, way AgeMagazine of Dec. 5, 1960.

Rail- Frisco Tri-Level Auto Car, page '23, Railway Age Magazine of Feb.15, 1960.

1. IN COMBINATION, A RAILWAY FLAT CAR HAVING AN ELONGATED HORIZONTALDECK, SIDE RAILS EXTENDING HORIZONTALLY AT AND SECURED TO OPPOSITE SIDEEDGES OF SAID DECK AND HAVING PORTIONS PROJECTING UPWARDLY ABOVE THEUPPER SURFACE OF SAID DECK, A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDINGLONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE ELONGATED FREIGHT CARRYING RACKS DISPOSEDSUBSTANTIALLY IN END-TO-END RELATION AND FREELY MOUNTED UPON SAID DECKBETWEEN SAID SIDE RAILS, A PIVOTAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ADJACENT ENDSOF SAID RACKS, SAID RACKS BEING HELD AGAINST LATERAL DISPLACEMENTRELATIVE TO SAID DECK BY THE UPWARDLY PROJECTING PORTIONS OF SAID SIDERAILS, SAID RACKS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL LONGITUDINALLYEXTENDING RAIL MEMBERS AT OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, LONGITUDINALLY SPACEDBRACKETS UPON THE OUTER SIDES OF AND SECURED TO SAID SIDE RAILS, MEANSSECURED TO SAID BRACK ETS AND EXTENDING OVER THE RAIL MEMBERS OF SAIDRACKS FOR HOLDING SAID RACKS AGAINST VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT RELATIVE TOSAID DECK, AND MEANS RESPECTIVELY CARRIED BY SAID RAIL MEMBERS AND BYTHE UPWARDLY PROJECTING PORTIONS OF SAID SIDE RAILS FOR RESTRAINING SAIDRACKS AGAINST LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID DECK, INCLUDINGSHOCK ABSORBER UNITS HAVING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ELONGATED HOUSINGSCONTAINING SHOCK ABSORBING MEANS INCLUDING ALTERNATELY ARRANGED RIGIDAND RESILIENT ELEMENTS, SAID HOUSINGS BEING LOCATED ABOVE THE UPWARDLYPROJECTING PORTIONS OF THE SIDE RAILS OF SAID FLAT CAR AND SECURED TOTHE RAIL MEMBERS OF SAID RACKS, HORIZONTAL ARMS EXTENDING THROUGHOPPOSITE ENDS OF THE HOUSING OF EACH SHOCK ABSORBER UNIT AND ENGAGINGCERTAIN OF THE RIGID ELEMENTS OF SAID SHOCK ABSORBING MEANS, SAIDHORIZONTAL ARMS BEING PROVIDED AT THEIR OUTER ENDS WITH BLOCKS, ANDSTOPS RIGIDLY MOUNTED UPON THE UPWARDLY PROJECTING PORTIONS OF THE SIDERAILS OF SAID FLAT CAR IN LONGITUDINALLY SPACED RELATION TO OPPOSITEENDS OF SAID HOUSINGS AND IN THE PATH OF AND CONSTITUTING ABUTMENTS FORSAID BLOCKS.